Ammunition hoist



H. TECHEL. AMMUNITION HOIIST. APPLICATION FILED mm. 1921.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

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Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

i U N 1 TI. '1'.

. i HANS TECHEL, orKIEL, GERMANY, nssrenon r0 FRIED. KRUPP AKTIENGESEL'L sonar!!! GERMANIAWERFT, or KIEL, GERMANY,

AMMUNITION norsr.

i ,izaere.

Specification of Ltters'late'lit.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922;

Application filed January 3, 1921. Serial N0.'43 1-,535

To aZZ vii/r0722 it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS TECI-IEL, residing at Kiel, Germany, a citizen of the German Republic, haveinvented a certaln new and useful Improvement in Ammunition Hoists, (for which I ha-veiiled application in Germany, filed Jul 15, 1918), ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ammunition hoists, in particular those which ar e'operated by means of compressed air, and which are provided with a charging. tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube. The object of the invention is to provide a construction, both simple and yet working with perfect reliability, by means of which the closeconnection required for a perfect hoisting will be established between the charging and the hoistingtube. The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawingwhich shows, by way of example, two embodiments of the subject matter ofthe invention and in which- 1 Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of the first form of execution of the improved ammunition hoist,

Fig. 2 is a pertinent section on line 2-2 in Flg. 1, seen from the top, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view as shown in Fig. 1, of the second form of execution.

The form of execution illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 will be described first.

The hoist hasa hoisting tube A, underneath which an S-shaped body D (see Fig. 2) serving to receive two charging tubes F, is adaptedto swing abouta vertical aXis E. Said charging tubes can be tilted about the axes of horizontal pivots f engaging supports (Z arranged on the body 'D, a certain amount of play in theperpendicular sense beingallowed to the pivots 7 within the support d. Each charging tube F is provided with a hoisting piston G on which the ammunition to be hoisted, a shell B for example, is placedj .On their upper ends the charging tubes have a flange f adapted to bear up against a flange of the'hoisting tube A.

lach of the two charging tubes which happens to contain ammunition to be hoisted, forms, when swung into its operative position, a continuation of the hoisting tube A; in this contingency it is located above a ram H displaceable"within a cylinderJ and serving to force the flange f of the charging tube against the flange a of the hoisting tube. Air pipes 1, 2, eonnected'to the cylinder J communicate with the casing K .of a piston-shaped distributingvalve L. From the casing K two pipes,;6 and 7, run to a compressed air receiver 'P, while another pipe Sleadsto the outside. A spring T tends to maintain the distributing valve L. wh rh is adapted to be displaced counter to the spring action bymeans of a hand lever; in .its lowermost position in which the pipes l and 7 are cut if.

At the upper end of the hoisting tube A is located a bell crank lever M, one arm of which Is connected to thebody of a valve N, whereas its other-arm supports a roller m which, when the valve is closed, projects through a narrow slot a into the tube A. A pipe 3 connected tothe compressed air receiver P, terminatesin the valve box below the valve seat while thereabove is arranged a pipe 4% which for its part terminates above the distributing valve L in thecasing K. Besides, there are arranged in the upper section of the tube A a slot a and'a pawl 0 provided with a handle 0?; said pawl being adapted to project through a slot a into the tube A under the action ofa spring 0 A pipe-5 runs from the casing K of the distributing valve to the flange a of the hoisting tube A. To the flange f of each of the charging tubes F there is connected a pipe 5 This arrangement is such that the compressed air is enabled to flow from pipe 5 into one of the pipes 5 and consequently below the hoisting piston G, provided the flanges (1?, f areipressed against each other.

The manner of operation of the device is as follows:

One of the charging tubes F having been charged and tilted into the perpendicular position, it is shifted, by swinging the body 1) around the axis E, underneath the hoisting tube A andtherewith. at the same time, abovethe ram H. Upon this, the distribut ing valve L islifted by means of the hand lever lV out of the position, in which it cuts off the pipes 1 and 7, into'the position shown in the drawingin'which it'permitsthe compressed air flowing, from the receiver P through pipe -7 into the valve casing K, to

freely pass through the pipe 1. into the cylinder J. The ram H, forced upwardb'y the compressed air, bears up against the bottom of the charging tube F and presses the flange f tight againstv the flange a? of the tributing valve. Almostsimultaneously-with hoisting tube By these meansa mutual connection is established between-the pipes 5 and 5 so that as the distributing valve L continues to be lifted from its seat, the com-.

pressed air will now beenabled to flow from the'-., receiver P. through pipe 6, through av grooved portion Z of the valve L and pipes 5, 5 underneath the hoisting piston G. Owing to the pressure exerted by the hoisting medium,the charged hoisting pistonis; driven upward to the place where the ainmunition is taken off. In'passing the roller m the hoisting'piston G forcesthis latter outward and thus" causes the valve N to' be opened, so that thecompressed air is now enabled to travel from the receiver P. through pipes Sand 4 to the casing K of the dis-,

the operationjust, explained, the hoisting piston G passes across the slot at? so that in consequence the compressed air' contained within the hoisting tube is now enabled to escape through this slot in the atmosph re.

Owing'to its inertia, the charged hoisting piston rushes for a slight'distance beyond theslot' a and forces in so doing the pawl O likewis outward. This latter, acting under the impulse of its spring 0 returns immediately into its locking position so thatnow the piston G willcome to seat itself on sald pawl. In the meanwhile, thecompressed air I flowing through the pipe 4 above'the dispipes 2 and .8. Charging tube and hoisting tube'beingnow no longer pressed together, an air gap comes to be formed at their faces of junction. v

After the hoisting piston G-ha's reached the place where the ammunition is to be taken off and the ammunition has been removed, the pawl vO is released by a pressure on the handle 0 whereupon the hoisting piston G drops by its own weight. The air present under the piston escapes through the gap now existing between the charging and thehoistingtube. -As soon as the hoisting piston G has passed this gap,it compresses the air contained within the charging tube, and the air-cushion thus formed causes the hoisting piston to gently settle down on the bottom of the charging tube. Finally the'body D is swung out, together with the charging tubes F at an angle of 180. At the same time as the body D .isbeing swung outward, the second tube F, which had meanwhile been charged, is positioned underneath the hoisting'tube A, and the operation, as hereinabove set forth, begins afresh.

The'form of execution disclose d in'Fig.

' 3 differs from the construction justdescribed solely by a modified form ofthe main control- In this case a controlling shaftlO carries a crank 11 connected to a spring-loaded piston 12. arranged within a cylinder 12. A. pipe 21 runs from the'cylinder 12 under neath the seat of a valve 13, whichcan be opened by aid of a hand lever'18 A pipe 20 connected to the compressed air receiver]? .terminatesin the valve box above the seat of the valve 13. 'Another pipe 26 extending from thecylinder 12 terminates below the seat of the valve N. The space above the seat of said valve'N communicates With the atmospherebymeans of a pipe 27. On the controlling shaft 10 there are mounted three cam'discs 14, 15, 16 adapted to act upon the stems of three valves 17, 18, 19." Two pipes 22and 24 running from the receiver]? ter-' minate'in' valves 18 and 17, respectively, above the-seats thereof. The space underneaththe seat 'of'the valve 18 communicates,

on the'one hand," by means of a pipe 23 with the cylinder J, and, on the other hand, by means of a pipe 28 with the space above the seat of the valve- 19, While the space below. this seat communicates with the atmosphere. From the valve l7-there runs a pipe 25to thefiange a of the hoistingtu'be A, while a pipe'25 is connected to the flange of each charging tube F. I

The manner of operation of this second form of execution is as follows: 7 On the valve 13 being'opened, the com.-

pressed air flo'ws'through the pipes 20, 21 underneath the piston 12 and forces it upward counter to the action of the spring acting upon it, so that the shaft 10 is caused to rotate by the intervention of the crank 11. This again causes the valves 18 and 17 tobe opened in succession bv aid of the cam discs 15 and 14, while the valve-19 is closed. By

cf the ram .H, so that the charging tube F 1s pressed against the hoisting tube A. Upon valves 17 being now opened, the compressed air flou'rsthrough the pipes 24, 25, 25 underneath the hoisting piston G.' As soon'as this latter encounters the roller m the valve N is opened by the bell crank lever M and the space'underneath the piston 12 by these means brought in communication with the atmosphere through pipes 26, 2?. The result of this arrangement is that the piston 12 is again moved down ward by the action ofitsspringand the shaft 10 again returned into its lnitial position. Consequently the valves 17 and'18 are now closed While'v'alve 19 isopened! Thenthe compressed air con tained' within the cylinder J is free'to escape to the atmosphere through the pipes 23 an'd mea re;

28 across valve 19, so that now the close con nection between the charging tube and the hoisting tube will be again interrupted.

Claims:

1. An ammunition hoist of the class de scribed comprising a hoisting tube, a charging tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube and to be shifted in the direction of the hoisting tube and fluidpressure means for shifting the charging tube and closing the connection between said charging tube and hoisting tube.

2. An ammunition hoist of the iclass de scribed comprising a hoisting tube, a charging tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube, a fluid-pressure operated ram disposed so as to engage the charging tube, means for supplying fluid-pressure to said ram whereby said charging tube will be pressed toward said hoisting tube to close the connection therebetween.

3. An ammunition hoist of the class described comprising a hoisting tube, a charging tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube, fiuid-pressure operated means for pressing said charging tube against said hoisting tube to close the connection therebetween, a fluid operated hoisting piston working in said charging and hoisting tubes and means mounted on said hoisting tube in the path of said hoisting piston and connected to said fluid-pressure means whereby the pressure against said charging tube is automatically released when said hoisting piston reaches the ammunition discharge end of said hoisting tube.

4;. In an ammunition hoist a hoisting tube, a charging tube adapted to be swung underneath said hoisting tube, fiuid-pressure operated means for pressing said charging tube against said hoisting tube to close the connection therebetween, a fluid-pressure operated hoisting piston movable through said charging and hoisting tubes, means disposed in the path of said hoisting piston and adjacent the discharge end of said hoisting tube for releasing the closing pressure against said charging tube whereby as said hoisting piston descends, its fluid-pressure operating medium may escape through the gap established between the hoisting tube and the charging tube, said operating medium being compressed Within the charging tube by the hoisting piston thereby providing a cushion for the same.

' 5. In an ammunition hoist of the class described a hoisting tube, a charging tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube, fluid-pressure means for pressing sa d charging tube against the hoisting tube to close the connection therebetween, a hoisting piston movable through said charging and hoisting tubes, means for conveying fluid-pressure to the underside of said hoisting piston to operate the same, said means extending through the connection between said hoisting tube and charging tube whereby said hoisting piston may be operated only when said connection is established between said charging and hoisting tubes.

6. An ammunition hoist comprising a hoisting tube, a displaceable charging tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube, a fluid-pressure operated ram disposed so as to press said charging tube against said hoisting tube, a hoisting piston working in said charging and hoisting tubes, means including a control device for successively supplying fluid-pressure to said ram and hoisting piston, means connected to said control device and operated by said hoisting piston as it reaches the discharge end of said hoisting tube whereby said control device will release the fluid-pressure acting upon said ram and said hoisting piston, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 4

7. An ammunition hoist of the class described comprising a hoisting tube, a displaceable charging tube adapted to be swung underneath the hoisting tube, a fluidpressure operated ram disposed so as to press said charging tube against said hoisting tube to establish a closed connection therebetween, a hoisting piston working through said charging and hoisting tubes, a fluid-pressure supply means including a control device connected so as to successively supply a fluid operating medium to said hoist-ing piston and ram, a valve connected to said control device and means mounted on said hoisting tube in the path of saidhoisting piston and operated thereby for automatically operating said control device through said valve whereby pressure beneath said hoist-ing piston is out 01f to permit said piston to return to its initial position and pressure beneath said ram is released.

The foregoing specification signed at Kiel, Germany, this 4th day of November, 1920.

DR. ENG. HANS TECHEL.

In presence of- F. PUDIMAT, H. HAGEMANN. 

